Deep Cuts

Act now to save Sebastopol
redwoods

We are experiencing the results of an unloving worldview that perceives nature as something that exists for human convenience, for the profit of an elite few, for entertainment or to destroy if part of it doesn't suit our immediate needs and desires.

We rush about in carbon-emitting vehicles, even when we know that rushing impedes perceiving beautiful and important facets of life: plants, flowers, birds and the beauty in each set of eyes we meet while walking. We destroy forests, which drive the water/air cycle.

Only 3 percent remains of the pristine, ancient redwood forest that once grew across the Northern Hemisphere. As we kill trees, we fuel disastrous weather disruptions. Forests draw down water, preventing drought that feeds fire. Mother Earth's weather patterns are now disastrously chaotic. We must give healing Mother Earth top priority, rather than something we consider when it is convenient.

A very unfortunate precedent was set two years ago when the Santa Rosa City Council approved the destruction of 25 redwood trees in Old Courthouse Square. Now, two baby redwoods growing in the Pacific Market parking lot facing Covert Lane in Sebastopol are slated to be destroyed early next month. Although the roots of these babies are growing in ways that disrupt the sidewalk on one side and the asphalt on the other, they can be trained to grow as the redwoods and cedars in the Sebastopol library parking lot do without disrupting any surface. Bulges can be smoothed for safe walking. The cost of fixing sidewalks is trivial compared to the cost of stripping our land from every tree appearing inconvenient to business concerns.

Redwoods are the most community-minded trees, and they love humans as much as we love them. Now is the time to take action to protect what remains of these trees. We are as good as the love in our hearts and the actions we take to preserve life. If enough folks appear at Sebastopol City Hall on Sept. 6 at 3pm, or write to the city's tree board, we will be able to inspire the city planners to wait the required amount of time to train the trees to grow their roots.

Loriel Golden runs Timeless Sound a music production company whose mission is to heal the world with inspiring music and to raise money for Save the Redwoods League, a group that purchases, protects and restores redwood forests. Contact her at heartfire11@sonic.net.

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